Partners
by zombified419
Summary: "Sir," he said sharply, drawing the man's attention. "I pulled you over because you were speeding, which I assume is because you were reading instead of driving, but please tell me it wasn't because you were reading porn?" A pause. "Is it still illegal to lie to an officer of the law?"


**_HUD: This was a poor excuse of a distraction from being stuck on another fic. Of course, if ANY of you know me by now, I can't keep anything short. So enjoy. ;)_**

* * *

It was a slow day; the weather was nice, the sun high with hardly a cloud in the sky, and Iruka much rather wanted to be sitting beside his pool with a beer in his hand. Instead, he was stuck in a squad car, watching legions of cars and trucks slow down at the sight of his black and white cruiser. It hardly mattered - he was waiting for his partner to come back from the gas station, so he sure as hell wasn't about to take off after one of them. But they didn't know that.

The officer sighed and shuffled in his seat. The nice weather outside birthed a wonderful breeze, but even with the windows down the squad car was stifling. Iruka had long ago shed his hat and even went so far as to loosen his tie; he could still feel the trickles of sweat slide down the small of his back under his uniform and bulletproof vest.

"Ugh," he groaned, his head falling back against the headrest. "Hurry _up."_ Once his partner was back, he could roll up the windows and get some damn air conditioning going.

Minutes later, the passenger door was opening and Iruka wanted to cry for joy. Touji Mizuki, his partner and best friend from their days in the Konoha Police Academy, slid into the seat. "Hey - sorry for the wait. There was a line for the bathroom that no amount of badge flashing could make go quicker."

"Sure," Iruka grumbled. He turned the engine on after Mizuki shut the door.

"Off my ass, Umino," Mizuki said with a wide grin. Something cold pressed against Iruka's wrist near the gearshift. "I got you a drink."

Iruka smiled as he pulled the car from park to exit the gas station. "Thanks, Mizuki."

"Welcome!" The officer answered, adding his hat to the dash next to Iruka's own. "So where to? I assume nothing crossed the scanner while I was gone."

"Yeah, nothing," Iruka answered as he merged into traffic. "I guess we'll just make some rounds of the nearby neighborhoods and keep an eye out for speeders."

Mizuki groaned, much like Iruka had earlier. " _Again?_ Damn this month is boring."

Iruka shrugged. "Crime is down, Mizuki. After the huge bust of Orochimaru's cocaine ring last month, no one has really surfaced. Not even the local vigilante groups are up to anything."

Mizuki sighed again. "I know; but we're way better than patrol, Iruka. Seriously. After leading the team on that bust you would think the Chief would make you a detective already."

Iruka smiled softly. "Thanks, Mizuki. I don't mind being on patrol - as long as I help keep the city safe it doesn't matter to me how I do it."

Through a series of interesting events, Iruka had been undercover for a few weeks, working his way through the ranks of the underground cocaine ring by posing as an interested out-of-country client with deep pockets. His only regret was not being able to bring Orochimaru himself down with his lead cartel - that man was a damn snake.

Conversation was light between the pair as Iruka drove them through several small neighborhoods. Children played basketball and hopscotch in the streets as they passed. The sight made Iruka's heart swell - the streets of Konoha were finally getting back to what he remembered as a kid.

Mizuki's grumbling tampered down after they left the dancing children and headed onto a nearby highway. Iruka kept to the right even through all of his pestering until a silver Charger blazed by. Mizuki and Iruka exchanged a glance before Mizuki flipped the switch for the siren and lights himself. He settled back as Iruka sped up to catch the speeder.

The Charger slowed immediately as Iruka closed in; within seconds the muscle car was pulling into the median and Mizuki was bouncing in his seat.

"That ended way too soon," he mumbled. "I want to give the ticket."

Iruka shook his head and grabbed his hat. "No, stay here in case I need you. I have a weird feeling about this one."

Mizuki sighed but didn't argue - they were partners, but Iruka outranked him. Iruka nodded his thanks and tightened his tie. "Stay alert."

Iruka stepped smoothly from his cruiser and shut the door softly. He knew from experience to always expect anything when approaching a pulled over vehicle, but something about this one really made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. Adrenaline coursed through his veins with each step he took, his heart hammering his ribcage. Iruka knew he wasn't alone - Mizuki was ready for anything behind him and he trusted the man.

The window was up when Iruka reached the car. He tapped lightly on the glass and began to smile when the window opened. "Good afternoon - do you know why - " Iruka paused, his jaw dropping.

Iruka had pulled over countless people before - several for swerving, texting, speeding, running lights - you name it, he'd seen it in the eight years of service on the force. But this was new.

The driver was _reading._ Full on, open novel, all of it - and he _still was._ In fact, the book was so high it obscured the majority of his face. Iruka blinked, still shocked, before schooling his features and starting over.

"Sir, do you know why I pulled you over?" He asked, tone still light. When no answer came, Iruka could feel his anger boiling. "Sir, are you ignoring an officer?"

"Hmm?" the driver said; he flipped his page with a thumb but didn't lower the book. "Absolutely not, Officer. I'm coming to a stopping point right..." He trailed off, making Iruka twitch. Iruka cleared his throat and tapped the car door.

"Sir, I'll only ask this once. Please put the - "

"Now," the driver answered; Iruka could hear the grin in his voice. "Sorry, I couldn't wait. The new volume is just so good." He dropped the book from obscuring his face to rest on the bridge of his nose. Iruka found himself staring into the most beautiful mismatched pair of eyes he'd ever seen - one a soft gray and the other a curious deep crimson. "What can I do for you, Officer..." Iruka watched those eyes dart to his name tag. "Officer Iruka."

"Umino," Iruka corrected. The man quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anything. "Do you know why I've pulled you over?"

"Not a clue," he answered, his eyes suddenly matching his bored tone.

"You were speeding," Iruka supplied, feeling his anger flare again. "I clocked you at seventy-five in a sixty-five."

"Oh," the driver answered. He tilted his head slightly; the motion drew Iruka's attention to his silver spiked hair, which seemed to entirely defy gravity. "That sounds plausible."

Iruka had to prevent himself from sighing; at least this guy was an idiot and not a ruthless criminal. "May I see your license and registration, sir?"

"Hmm," the driver said, fishing around in his glove compartment for a moment. Iruka took the chance to roll his eyes in sheer annoyance once the man's back was to him. In a few seconds, the driver was handing over a sheet of paper that had clearly seen better days. Iruka blinked and took it gingerly.

"Is this your...?"

"Registration," the man supplied, his tone still bored. Iruka quirked an eyebrow.

"This is hardly legible," he said, unfolding the sheet. "...and there's half a dozen stains on it."

"I've had the car for awhile," the man answered. Iruka read the date at the top.

"Does 'awhile' mean three months to you, sir?" Iruka deadpanned.

"Maa," he said, his tone sheepish. "I tend to lose track of dates." Iruka nodded.

"That among many, I assume," he answered. The man was glancing at him curiously; Iruka shifted his weight as a distraction, feeling uncomfortable with the weight of that strange gaze. "Your license?"

The man shifted again, his book never leaving the bridge of his nose. Iruka decided that being upset about the book was a total waste of his energy, but the shuffling gave him a clear view of the jacket. His spine immediately went rigid.

"Sir," he said sharply, drawing the man's attention. "I pulled you over because you were speeding, which I assume is because you were reading instead of _driving,_ but please tell me it wasn't because you were reading _porn?"_

There was a heavy pause in which Iruka began counting back from ten and the offender was doing level best to keep hiding his grin behind the book in question. "Is lying to an officer of the law still illegal?"

Iruka bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. "Remain in your vehicle, sir." Without listening to whatever shitty excuse the man could come up with, Iruka stomped around to the back of the car and pulled out his ticket book. The short minute it took him to write out the man's tag (expired, why wasn't he surprised?) helped Iruka cool down enough to face the man again without wanting to punch his teeth out.

"Here," Iruka said, shoving the fresh ticket into the window and nearly jarring the book loose from its perch. "A ticket for reckless driving and an expired tag."

"Don't you need my license?" The man asked, holding up the plastic card.

"I'd rather not," Iruka said sharply. When the man still didn't take his ticket, Iruka dropped it into his lap. "Get off the road with that tag, sir; if I see you again today, I'll take you downtown."

"Oh?" The man asked, his eyebrows raising. Iruka was finding it harder and harder to resist police brutality. "I don't mind going _downtown_ with _you,_ Officer."

Iruka really should have expected such a blatant line from a man reading porn when he should have been driving, but he couldn't help the blush racing across his cheeks. The driver's eyes widened a fraction, which made Iruka's blush deepen.

 _"Have a good day,"_ Iruka grit out, already feeling the headache start from his teeth grinding together. With that, he spun on his heel and all but stomped back to his cruiser.

"Woah, man," Mizuki said, taking in the picture Iruka knew he presented - flushed and angry. "What the hell happened out there?"

Iruka opened his mouth to answer but was distracted by the silver-haired driver tossing back a two-fingered wave at them (he knew it was _just_ for him, dammit) from his still open window as he pulled away. "...I don't want to talk about it."

* * *

"Geez, man. How did we amass so much damn _paperwork?"_

Iruka grinned behind his tea mug. Mizuki stretched back in the uncomfortable chair of the detectives' desks they borrowed. Iruka sat across from him and just watched his partner groan.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so eager to pull over speeders, Mizuki," Iruka teased. "Less victims, less paperwork."

"It's not like I'm a _serial killer,_ Iruka," the man shot back, his tone reflecting exactly what he thought of Iruka's light teasing. "Sorry that I didn't want to sit in a hot-ass cruiser all fucking afternoon."

"Even with me?" He asked, feigning hurt in his voice. The continued teasing caused Mizuki to openly leer at him.

 _"Especially_ you; but I know at least one guy who wouldn't mind," Mizuki said, grinning, as his tone dropped and his eyebrows waggled.

Iruka immediately frowned, regretting wholeheartedly telling Mizuki about the silver-haired driver blatantly hitting on him with a porn novel practically glued to his face. The officer felt his cheeks heat under his partner's continued gaze. "Shut up, Mizuki."

"What, I'm just _teasing_ you," his partner continued; Iruka could absolutely _hear_ the leer still on his face as he dropped his eyes back to the desk he borrowed. "I bet he was hot enough to get you _thinking_ about it, which is why you're being so shy - "

"I couldn't even see his damn face!" Iruka snapped, halting Mizuki's tirade. "Now get off it before I ditch you with all this shit."

Iruka knew he was being harsh, if Mizuki's raised eyebrows were anything to go by, but he didn't care. That driver had gotten under his skin far too quickly; not exactly the sort of thing he wanted or _needed_ right now. He knew Mizuki would forgive him eventually as he continued to ignore him and press on through the paperwork.

Nearly an hour in and Iruka had forgotten his anger until he came across his copy of the ticket he had given the driver. He felt his stomach churn in guilt again at how easily he had lost his cool; he didn't even get the man's name! Hopefully the Chief wouldn't see this amongst all others they did today. Iruka knew not getting the driver's name could potentially cause himself a write-up, and he knew the Chief would know why instantly. Sarutobi was a kind man for being a police chief, even helping Iruka with his anger management; Iruka doubted he'd be able to handle the inevitable look of disappointment on his mentor's face.

Iruka quickly signed off on the offensive yellow sheet and folded it into the pile, hopefully lost forever. Even without the sheet, he could still remember the slight gleam in those odd eyes as they teased him beneath a mess of spiked silver hair.

Iruka threw three paperclips at Mizuki as a distraction; when the man yelped his surprise, Iruka yelled at _him_ for being distracting.

* * *

A few days later found Iruka sitting alone in his cruiser, sipping a fountain soda he had an odd craving for and watching traffic slow down. When Mizuki wasn't with him, he let his favourite radio station play just under the sound of his issued scanner, helping to abate his odd mood. He was distracted; Mizuki had been acting odd, requesting to stay back at the precinct while Iruka made their daily rounds. He had agreed, not thinking too much into it, until he now sat alone without a distraction and had several hours to think.

Usually Mizuki was always so eager to leave the precinct any given time, even just to get lunch or coffee. Iruka hadn't immediately noticed a change, but being alone without the other man for the first time in months really gave him time to reflect. Mizuki was shorter with him lately when they worked and didn't much care to go out for their weekly drinking. Iruka felt horrible, thinking it was a side-effect of him having to go undercover for so long.

Iruka paused mid-sip of his soda. Thinking on it, Mizuki had been acting odd ever since the cocaine bust. Surely they couldn't be _connected -_

A blur of a car barreling by Iruka pulled the officer's attention. He quickly put down his drink and flipped his lights, peeling out of the small alcove he was parked and whipping onto the highway. He couldn't help but grin as he weaved in and out of traffic - Mizuki would be so disappointed that he missed a high speed chase.

Not disappointed for long - as soon as Iruka had the car in sight, it immediately slowed and pulled into the median. Iruka couldn't help but feel a slight bit of disappointment as his adrenaline came to a screeching halt. Once both vehicles were stopped, Iruka pulled on his cap and sunglasses and strode from the cruiser.

Iruka eyed the vehicle as he walked up, hand cocked on his hip for easy access to his holster should he need it. He glanced in the back windows (surprisingly sparse) until he came to the driver window. It was up, so he knocked slightly and looked back at his cruiser as the window rolled down.

A slight chuckle should have really tipped Iruka off, but when the driver spoke he knew immediately. "Well, good afternoon, Officer Iruka. What seems to be the trouble?"

Iruka whipped his head back so fast he was sure he gave himself whiplash. _"You again?!"_

His response was needless when those mismatched eyes looked up at him in obvious humour. "Me again."

Iruka had to bite his lip to stop from groaning. "Did you not learn from the _last_ time?"

"Learn what?"

"Not to _read_ while _driving!"_

The man seemed surprised, looking down at the book still pressed to the lower half of his face. Iruka wasn't sure the man had moved at all in the days since he last pulled him over. "Oh, I didn't even realize - "

"Bullshit!" Iruka snapped, then immediately slapped a hand over his mouth. The man's eyebrows rose quickly, but the mirth behind his eyes never faltered; Iruka could feel his face turn shades faster than that man had been driving. He needed to fix this - _fast._ "I-I apologize, sir - "

"No need," the man answered. He seemed to settle back against his seat comfortably. "Not too many people call me out."

The answer didn't help Iruka's growing embarrassment. "It was out of line of me - "

"I disagree," the man said, sharply cutting off Iruka's fumble of an apology. "It was entirely called for."

Iruka was flabbergasted. This man, who he had literally pulled over twice now for reading porn while driving, seemed to know exactly what to do to throw Iruka for a loop. "Then, I suppose I don't apologize."

He seemed to smile beneath that infernal book, his eyes crinkling beautifully into crescents. "That's the idea."

There was a slight pause that Iruka wasn't sure what to do with; before, he knew that if something strange would happen he had Mizuki as backup. Now, he was left alone with this oddly charming man and had no idea how to even proceed.

"Oh, I have something for you," the man said, pulling Iruka from his mind. He was immediately on alert as the driver reached for his glovebox and fished out a folded sheet of paper. Iruka took the offer gingerly and unfolded it.

The man, obviously too excited to wait until Iruka was done overlooking, shifted slightly before speaking: "I renewed my tag."

Iruka honestly couldn't help the small smile that crossed his lips. "I see that. Good job."

The man's smile was back again, his eyes crinkling adorably. Iruka felt some of his anxiety dissipate at the sight. Regardless of how strange their first meeting had been, this one wasn't so bad.

"I suppose we only have to work on the reading while driving then," Iruka finished, handing over the sheet. The man took it and added it back to his glovebox.

"I must admit, that's a much better offer than the one from last time," he said casually. "Even though I really still wouldn't mind the first."

His wink was so lewd Iruka felt his cheeks heating again. "What are you - " He remembered his threat to take him to the station, the line that spurred more frustration with the man than any other, but then it dawned on Iruka what exactly he had just said. The thought immediately made his blush deepen and the man seemed to smile wider.

"Is that an offer?" he asked just as casual as before. Iruka bit his lip to stop the onslaught he knew he would unleash on the man. Mizuki's teasing must have gotten to him more than he thought.

"No," Iruka said curtly after what felt like hours of anguish. The man seemed to only smile again.

"Well, if you change your mind," the driver said, his tone softening slightly from the light teasing to become obviously more serious. Iruka swallowed and watched the man pull out his wallet and produce a card. "Give me a call."

It was natural human instinct to accept something being offered to you, and Iruka was no exception. He gently accepted the card and tucked it away in his breast pocket. In a swift exchange he pulled the pen from there and flipped his ticket book open.

"Perhaps you should work on your speed first," Iruka said professionally, trying to regain a shred of his fleeting composure. He purposely kept his eyes on his writing even as he felt the other's gaze settle heavily on him. He ripped the ticket free and passed it over.

"Maa, I give you my number and you _still_ write me a ticket," the man lamented; Iruka smirked.

"As charming as you are," Iruka was careful to lace his voice with as much sarcasm as he could muster; "You still could have killed someone."

"You never asked for my license," the man said quietly. "Don't you want my name?"

Iruka was very proud of the way he ignored the sudden heat flaring up in his abdomen at the way the driver's voice dropped an octave. _Not sexy not sexy not sexy -_ "Not until you slow down."

The man hummed, looking down at the ticket in his hand. Iruka filled it out the same way as the time before, recalling the man's tag number from the renewal sheet. "I suppose that's fair. In the meantime, don't lose that card, yeah?"

"I believe I'll manage," Iruka answered, smiling slightly. He knew what he was doing was wrong - he was abusing his power as a police officer to get this insane man to drive more carefully _and_ while stringing him along. It helped that the man was obviously attractive, even with that perpetual book plastered to his face. Iruka would be lying if he said he wasn't thinking about calling him.

"As I would expect," the driver said, his tone lighting again. "I have high standards."

Iruka snorted and rolled his eyes, thankful for his sunglasses. "With your choice of reading, _obviously."_ He turned on his heel, having decided he'd wasted enough time for the day, and headed back to his cruiser. "Drive safely! I don't want to see you again today!"

"You're a horrible liar!" The driver called back; Iruka could hear the grin in his voice. "You're thinking about me right now!"

"You're right!" Iruka answered, turning around to face the muscle car as he walked backward. "I'm thinking about how great your mugshot will be - I'll finally see your face!"

Chuckles reached Iruka's ears as he opened his car door. He didn't wait for a reply, merely settling into his cruiser and removing his cap. As before, the man threw back a lazy two-fingered wave as he pulled away. Iruka sat for a moment to give them some distance, smiling.

Maybe he would travel without Mizuki more often.

* * *

As it would be, Iruka would soon find himself doing quite a bit without Mizuki. His partner was constantly calling out sick, worrying Iruka immensely; when he _did_ come in for work, he opted to stay at the office than go out on patrol with Iruka. Normally Iruka wouldn't mind, long used to his partner-and-friend's oddities, but they were becoming worse and worse, and he was left to handle the work meant for two alone.

Unfortunately, that meant that the small white card in his uniform's breast pocket stayed there, undisturbed, for weeks. Worse still, Iruka hadn't seen the silver-haired man since then either. He should be less remorseful and more grateful that such a dangerous driver turned himself around, but he couldn't help but think of how light their banter had been that day and how much of an influence it had on Iruka. He was the person of authority in the situation, but he felt that man with the curious mismatched eyes was in complete control the entire time.

Iruka wanted to get to know him more, and was more upset that he didn't know his name. He was sure the man's name would be on the card that he had, but that day he hadn't given it a second look as he put it away, and each time he had a moment to check someone was calling his attention away or a new case needed his help. He wasn't surprised that the man haunted most of his thoughts (he had been quite charming, after all), but he was more surprised in himself at not contacting him. Iruka lived a dangerous life, and because of that he always tried to do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, never knowing what the next day would hold.

Even more surprising was the lack of Mizuki in his life. He wanted to confide in his partner, but any moment they had alone Mizuki would check out mentally and more often physically without so much as an acknowledgement. The blockade was progressively getting so terrible that Iruka was fully expecting the call into Chief Sarutobi's office long before it even happened.

Iruka knocked gently on the closed door, waiting to hear an answer. The response was quick and gruff, signaling to Iruka the severity of his visit. The Chief was alone in his office, his chair rolled close to the window as he blew out smoke. "Have a seat, Iruka."

Iruka nodded and sat, watching the curve of smoke waft from the room. Birds could be heard chirping from outside, the sound settling in the tense atmosphere around them. Sarutobi took another draw from his pipe before setting it aside and turning towards him. "Do you know why I called you here?"

Iruka swallowed. "If I had to guess, Sir, it would have something to do with Mizuki."

Sarutobi nodded. "You are correct, Iruka. As his partner, how long would you say his behaviour has been changing?"

Iruka had an immediate answer, having already discovered the time frame himself. "Around the same time I came back from being undercover." Sarutobi nodded, looking back out the window.

"As I had suspected," the old man answered. Iruka could see the age displayed on his face, suddenly looking far older than his sixty years. "Iruka, I need you to be honest with me."

"Anything, Sir," Iruka answered. Despite being officer and chief, Iruka knew their bond ran much deeper. Sarutobi had been one of the few who believed that a troublemaking kid could turn his life around to become a cop. He stood by Iruka through everything, including his parents' deaths, and was the one voice who suggested him above all else in the precinct to help ANBU bring Orochimaru's drug ring down. Iruka would do anything he asked, whenever he asked.

Sarutobi smiled at him, that secret smile saved only for Iruka when the man showed his pride in him when it couldn't be vocalized. "Touji Mizuki is under investigation for a possible connection with Orochimaru's drug ring. He has been pulled from active duty to remain here during his shifts so I can keep a closer eye on him. You, in the mean time, will be assigned a new partner, Mitarashi Anko. You two are familiar, yes?"

Iruka nodded. "We've worked together before."

"Good. She is one of the leads of his investigation, and we feel you may be indirectly targeted if he is involved. This is also to rid you of any guilt by association," Sarutobi said gravely. Iruka nodded, hoping against hope that his mentor was wrong, and that Mizuki wasn't crooked. "I believe you to be unrelated, but the evidence looks dire."

Iruka felt his throat dry, but he nodded. "Thank you, Sir."

Sarutobi waved his thanks away and looked back out the window. "Your thanks isn't needed, Iruka. Your actions speak louder than any words ever could. You are dismissed; Mitarashi will meet you outside."

Iruka nodded and stood. He wanted to say more, to tell the Chief that he was wrong, that Mizuki wouldn't do that. Sarutobi turned towards him slowly, his eyes reading through Iruka without him needing to share his thoughts. "I know he is your friend, Iruka. I hope I'm wrong, too."

Iruka bit his lip and nodded again. "Thank you, Sir."

* * *

Another week went by blazingly fast - Anko was...interesting to work with. She was carefree but still by the book, hilarious and vain, and most of all, she was batshit _crazy._ Iruka could appreciate her mischievous streak, and that was what they most bonded on. It made for chaotic afternoons in the precinct, but Iruka appreciated it more than he could express.

Each day, Iruka would watch Mizuki come in without so much as a glance at him. Before, there had been smiles and laughs and a warm hand on his shoulder; now, there was nothing but vacant stares and tense air and withdrawn acknowledgements. Anko suggested he not worry; the further he stayed from Mizuki, the better this would all go for him. Iruka would always nod, but he couldn't stop his worry - Mizuki was (is?) his best friend for the last ten years of his life. Iruka was horribly sentimental, and not having Mizuki even look at him was tearing him apart.

The week went by quickly but hazy; Anko was a wonderful distraction, but there were times she couldn't be. Iruka had to remind himself that she was working a case _against_ Mizuki, and that her placement as his partner was only going to be temporary at best. She was in the best location to gather the information she needed, all while 'protecting' their prime suspect. Iruka wasn't stupid - he knew what Sarutobi was hinting at. Iruka was somehow roped into this; how much he didn't know, but the need for constant supervision didn't leave much to the imagination.

However, Anko couldn't be around all the time. Iruka sat in his usual spot on the highway, staring blankly out at oncoming traffic. Anko had too much paperwork and sent him away - they would meet at the precinct in a few hours and go for lunch at the dango stand on Price and Prince, Anko's favourite. Iruka didn't mind eating there; he enjoyed her companionship, even if he was concerned for her slim figure with the way she ate that shit.

The scanner crackled, pulling Iruka back to the present. He had parked far enough out to warn people to slow down, not at all feeling up to chasing some idiot down. He hit scan on the radio and settled back, eyes focused on a black spot on his windshield. Minutes passed, and still nothing caught his attention. He chuckled inwardly when a few commercials would line up perfectly _(When Christ is your only hope - Come join us for happy hour five to nine at - Markstown Chevy, the best - Tail in town!)_ but nothing held his attention. An upbeat pop tune caught his ear, and just as he reached to pause the station surfer, a silver blur blasted by his cruiser.

Iruka groaned but flipped his lights and took off after the car, which slowed immediately once Iruka was on its tail. The car pulled off into the median, Iruka right behind; the officer pulled his cap on and climbed from his cruiser.

He knocked on the rolled up window and looked down at his ticket book. "License and registration, please."

"If this is the only way we'll keep meeting, I might have to take _your_ number this time."

Iruka looked up, shocked; his eyes met gray and crimson and he couldn't help the flip of his stomach. This time he didn't have his shades, which left his eyes wide and shocked for the driver to see. A quick glance told him that, yes, that was indeed the mystery driver's Charger. Was he really _that_ distracted to not notice? For his turn, all the offender did was grin, his eyes being the only thing Iruka could see over that bright orange piece of trash.

"How are you?" He asked, prompting Iruka to jump and clear his throat.

"Ah, fine, thanks," he said evasively, unable to stop his wince from his own curt tone. The driver propped his elbow up on the armrest between them and tilted his head.

"...no you aren't," he answered, tone edging on bored as always, but Iruka was beginning to get a feel for this man. He was concerned. "Tell me."

Iruka opened his mouth to do just that but stopped - how on earth could he tell this man, a stranger at best, that his best friend for nearly ten years was possibly crooked? That he wouldn't return his calls or even so much as _look_ at him when he entered a room? That he was under internal investigation for a possible drug ring connection that he was trying to blame on Iruka?

Easy - he _couldn't._ That fact didn't stop him from _wanting_ to, though.

"Just a little hectic at work," Iruka said, hoping his pause wasn't long enough to be suspicious. Those usually lazy eyes seemed to sharpen, as if there were dissecting all of Iruka's words and cutting through to his core - his very concealed and tired core. He felt so unnerved that he added: "I'm sorry - I wanted call you."

Iruka felt his eyes widen as the driver blinked, that intense gaze gone and left only a mild surprise. His face heated quickly, prompting him to slap his hand over his mouth in a vain effort to stop the words from happening. But they had, too late to stop, and now Iruka was left with the aftermath of crimson cheeks to match the driver's left eye and a strong want to crawl into a hole and die.

Soft chuckles reached his ears, forcing Iruka to open his eyes (shit, when had those _closed?)_ and look back at the man he should be taking to the station for his third reckless driving charge in hardly a month. His eyes were soft, and Iruka was sure that orange shitfest had slid down his nose a fraction. God, those _cheekbones._

"I wanted you to call me, too," he said, his tone just as soft as when he had given Iruka his card a millennia ago. "Can I count on you still wanting to call me?"

Iruka nodded, not trusting his voice. The man tilted his head again, the action reminding Iruka of that steady gaze that had gotten him into this mess in the first place. "Then how about - "

A loud chime interrupted, pulling the man from Iruka to look to his dash. Iruka saw his phone lighting up with a call, but was too far away to see who. A quick glance had the man sighing and sagging against his seat. "I'm sorry, Officer, but I have to cut this short. Work is demanding me."

Iruka felt himself nod, then jumped when a warm hand wrapped around his wrist. "I'll take my ticket, sir." He winked, making Iruka blush again but spurring him to scribble out the ticket. After a soft pause, he flipped it over and wrote his full name and personal number.

"Uhm, the front has my work number and the back is my mobile, if you can't reach me," Iruka muttered, handing over the sheet. The driver nodded, his eyes crinkling in what Iruka came to recognize as his smile.

"I'll be in touch," the man said as he took the sheet; Iruka suppressed his slight tremor as their fingers grazed. "Have a good day, Officer."

Iruka nodded numbly and took a step back, allowing the man to drive away. It was only when he couldn't see the taillights of the Charger anymore that he realized he _still_ didn't have his name.

* * *

Iruka arrived back at the precinct not long after the man had driven away, suddenly without much energy to spare on idiot drivers and very much needing the distraction Anko always provided. A quick survey of their borrowed office didn't include her, prompting Iruka to walk further into the precinct. The receptionist said that she hadn't left, but the distinct lack of Anko in the break room and even locker room had Iruka worried. Seeing no where else to turn, he headed for Sarutobi's office.

Voices reached his ears as he turned the corner, heading for the Chief. The blinds for his office were drawn but his door was open.

"You've got some _nerve,_ accusing me of something you don't have any evidence for!" It was Mizuki. Iruka knew that tone: it was dangerous, and made him quicken his pace.

"There is more than enough evidence, Touji - "

"You shut your whore mouth, Mitarashi!"

" _Mizuki!"_ Sarutobi snapped. Iruka reached the door and peeked in - the sight ran his blood cold.

Mizuki, his partner and best friend, stood with his back to the door and his standard issue pistol trained on their Chief. Hiruzen Sarutobi, Iruka's mentor and the single most important person in his entire life, held Mizuki's gaze with his head held high. Iruka didn't like what he saw in those dark eyes.

Anko stood off beside their Chief, slowly inching her way closer to Mizuki Unfortuneatly, Mizuki noticed. "Get back over there, bitch! This is all your _fault."_

"It's not _my_ fault you're shit at hiding your tracks," she snapped. "If you wanted to try and steal back Orochimaru's drugs then you shouldn't have been an _idiot."_

 _"Shut up!"_ Mizuki screamed, his voice cracking on the end. Iruka winced and pulled further into himself. A quick glance left the hallway deserted - the Chief's office was in the back of the building, and Iruka was willing to bet an entire month's salary that almost the whole squad was out for lunch.

"It was perfect," Mizuki continued. "He's the perfect scapegoat. Goody little Iruka, doing the best for his town and bringing the drug ring down. No one would have _ever_ suspected him to be involved."

"His character was your downfall, Touji," Sarutobi said calmly, his hands still up by his head. "Iruka is a good officer and a better person; had you not been blinded, you would have seen the error of your - "

"Goddammit, old man. Shut your _fucking_ mouth or I'll make sure you don't have that problem ever again," Mizuki hissed. He swung his pistol around to train it on Anko and looked back to Sarutobi. "I suggest you _order_ this bitch to stop moving or I'll redecorate your office."

"Anko," Hiruzen said softly. Iruka watched Anko tense up before throwing Mizuki a glare that could kill as she brought her hands up by her head to mirror Sarutobi.

"That's better," Mizuki said, smile evident in his tone. "Now, here's how this is going to happen - Mitarashi, you're going to give me all the evidence you've collected, and _Chief - "_ the venom in his tone make a mockery of Sarutobi's title that had Iruka gritting his teeth; " - _you're_ going to imply Iruka in all of this. Fix this mess you've _created_ and pin it on the golden boy."

"It will go to trial," Sarutobi answered. "The judge and jury will see to it that he is innocent; you'll only be prolonging your sentence."

Mizuki laughed, a hollow and tinny sound that sent shivers down Iruka's spine. This wasn't his best friend - this was a mad man. "Do you think I _care_ what happens to him?"

"He's your best friend!" Anko snapped. Mizuki laughed again, the tone turning manic.

"He never meant _anything_ to me!" He answered gleefully, his tone churning Iruka's empty stomach. "Just a means to an end. That faggot could die and I wouldn't blink an eye."

Iruka felt the breath leave him - ten years of his life, wasted on this man that wasn't at all who he thought he was. His best friend, confidant; it was all a lie. Iruka had known what he needed to do the moment he stumbled upon this scene, but hearing exactly what Mizuki thought of him made his next move much easier.

Mizuki launched into more demands from Sarutobi, giving Iruka the moment he needed to slip into the room in a crouch. Anko visibly relaxed when they made eye contact as Iruka carefully inched towards Mizuki. As quietly as possible, he drew his stun gun. Killing this asshole would be too easy - Iruka was more than willing to watch him rot in prison.

A soft _click_ signaled that the stun gun was armed and caught Mizuki's attention. He whipped around wildly and Iruka was on his feet in a flash.

"Don't you come near me or I'll shoot!" he screamed, his gun still trained on Sarutobi. Iruka watched as fear blossomed in Mizuki's eyes, briefly replacing the manic gleam, but he only had a second - he pulled his trigger just as Mizuki did his, a loud _crack_ echoing in the office. Anko cursed and Mizuki went down like lead, his body convulsing on the carpet. Iruka snatched the gun from his lax hand on autopilot, looking up of his own volition only when he heard the crash from the other side of Hiruzen's desk.

* * *

Hours later, Iruka felt himself gain consciousness of his surroundings. He was sitting in an uncomfortable chair, a blanket around his shoulders and Anko by his side, clutching his hand tightly. He blinked and realized her knuckles were crimson.

"Anko...?" He croaked, wincing from his own voice. He felt her relax beside him as she turned her light brown eyes on him. Relief seemed to flood her as she smiled softly.

"Hey tiger," she answered. "Glad to hear you." Iruka narrowed his eyes at her.

"What do you mean?" When she didn't answer, he pressed further. "What happened? Where are we?"

Anko released his hand and folded her own over her lap, the red on top. "What do you remember?"

Iruka blinked. "I remember..." he paused, and then it hit him. "I remember Mizuki having a gun on Hiruzen and then - then a _gunshot!_ Anko, is he - "

"He's fine, Iruka," she said calmly. Iruka sagged with obvious relief. "Touji's shot just went through his shoulder; they're patching him up now."

Iruka couldn't help but smile wanly. "He always was a poor shot."

"Good thing, huh?" Anko asked, smiling. Iruka chuckled softly, feeling hollow. "We don't have to worry about him anymore. One of the detectives came on scene and hauled his ass away, but not after I had a moment with him."

Iruka glanced back down at her bloody knuckles but didn't ask. "When will we be able to see him?"

"Soon," she said. "The doctor should be letting us in any moment."

Iruka nodded, then took a deep breath. "Anko, did I pass out?"

"No," Anko answered, popping her knuckles. "But you did kinda check out. I imagine it's because of what happened back there, but just know that he isn't worth it. You know who your _real_ friends are, and don't forget it." She winked at him, drawing a soft smile from somewhere within him. He leaned his head on her shoulder and sighed.

"Thank you."

Anko's giggles jostled his head, but she pressed her cheek to his hair. "Don't thank me just yet - you still owe me dango to seal _this_ deal."

Hiruzen was back in his office two days later, sporting his left arm in a sling and refusing help from everyone. Iruka still stayed as close as possible in case he need something, but the Chief could only tolerate his hovering for so long, which left Iruka to busy himself with running errands. Sarutobi, exasperated with his mothering, sent him away to get lunch for the two of them. Iruka was glad to, still blaming himself for not acting quick enough to stop the gunshot wound from happening altogether.

"It has come to my attention, Iruka," Hiruzen said, setting aside his chopsticks. Iruka called in take-out from Sarutobi's favourite Thai restaurant, much to the old man's delight. "That you are partnerless."

Iruka sighed but nodded. Immediately after Mizuki's arrest, Anko was reassigned back to her original partner in the interrogation department. Iruka could imagine how great of a team her and Ibiki were. "You're correct, Chief." Iruka wasn't sure he could say that he didn't _want_ another partner.

Hiruzen nodded sagely, understanding Iruka's concerns without them needing to be vocalized. "I understand, but you're too good of an officer to be kept at a desk job."

Not only had Iruka been volunteering to keep an eye on the Chief, but he had been keeping up with nearly all of the paperwork for the interrogation department (for all of Ibiki's talents, he was shit at filing). It wasn't easy, but Iruka didn't mind and he was able to keep a good eye on Sarutobi.

"How did you like working with ANBU, Iruka?" he asked. Iruka paused to consider his answer.

"It was a good experience," he answered. "I didn't work with anyone much more than just my contact, but I enjoyed the process."

"A request was brought to my attention from your contact, Tsunade," Sarutobi continued. "They have a tough case that they could use your skills on; it's been ongoing for some time now, and they're reassigning it here to us as a chance to outsource and get a fresh perspective. You were requested by name."

Iruka felt his jaw drop; _ANBU_ was requesting _him?_ "Holy shit."

Sarutobi's eyes sparkled with mirth and pride. "Holy shit is right. Does that mean you're interested?"

"Uhm, yes sir!" Iruka said, his face burning from the embarrassment of cussing to his Chief. "I'd be honoured."

Sarutobi nodded and closed up his lunch containers. "I have a few calls to make, then. Your new partner should already be on his way."

Iruka couldn't help his grin. "You already knew my answer, didn't you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi smirked back at Iruka as he put his lunch in the community fridge. "I had a hunch."

To say Iruka was jittery would be an understatement - he sat in Sarutobi's office an hour later, waiting for his new partner from ANBU and nervous as hell. He bounced his knee and was barely able to stop his teeth from chattering. A soft knock resounded on the Chief's door and Iruka froze.

"Come in," Sarutobi called. Iruka took a deep breath and stood as the door opened, a smile on his face.

A tall, lean man walked in wearing a crisp dark blue dress shirt rolled up to his elbows and dark jeans with a visitor pass clipped to a belt loop. When Iruka's gaze rose to make eye contact, he felt his heart leap to his throat and his stomach drop to his feet.

"It's _you!"_ he blurted, unable to stop himself from pointing. When the man just smiled in response, Iruka felt his face heat and slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Do you two know each other?" Sarutobi asked, gesturing for the man to take a seat. Iruka flopped unceremoniously back into his chair and buried his burning face in his hands.

"No," Iruka said flatly. The man beside him snorted.

"Maa, you can't mean that, _Officer Umino,"_ he drawled, adding more emphasis to his name and title than was strictly necessary in front of Sarutobi. "Officer Umino has been showing me the error of my ways."

Iruka could hear the grin in Hiruzen's voice, still refusing to look up. "Speeding?"

Iruka peeked out slightly to see the reckless driver nod. "Guilty."

Iruka sighed and looked up, glancing between the other two. "Just for the record, I don't retract those tickets even though he _is_ ANBU."

Sarutobi laughed. "Good - he needs brought down a peg or two." Iruka's partner grinned and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I suppose introductions won't be required, then. You two are dismissed."

Iruka rose quickly and all but bolted from the office. He made a beeline for the locker room, relieved that it was empty, and sank down on the nearest bench. During his flee, his face hadn't cooled in the slightest, earning him a few odd glances from his colleagues, but the cool air and isolation of his new haven was welcomed.

He rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his face to his hands again, fighting another groan. That was the first time he had seen that man's face, and it had absolutely caught him off guard. Iruka could tell from the small treat of seeing his cheekbones that last time that the man would be handsome, but he wasn't expecting a fucking _god._ Even with the scar that ran down his left cheek, he was undeniably attractive. Pale skin with a strong jaw and slightly pink lips - holy shit, his partner was _ridiculous._ And to think, hardly three days ago he was flirting shamelessly and even passed out his number!

Iruka really did groan this time - he felt like such an _idiot._

"Maa, I wouldn't say it's _that_ bad." The voice of the object of Iruka's torment was suddenly behind him, causing Iruka to freeze. "Regardless of what you may hear, I'm not _that_ hard to get along with."

Iruka paused, deciding that he would ask more about that later. For now, he spun around to look up at the pale man towering over him. "You ass! You knew all along, didn't you?"

"Knew what?" He asked, shrugging as he put both of his hands in his pockets.

"You _knew_ that Tsunade would ask Sarutobi to lend me to ANBU!" Iruka said, standing up. "All those times I pulled you over was on purpose, wasn't it?"

The man smiled softly, a smile that Iruka felt was beautiful but held secrets he wasn't allowed to know - yet. "The first time was. Every other time, I just wanted to see you."

The answer surprised another soft blush from Iruka, replacing his raising anger with flatter. He watched his partner step over the bench Iruka had been sitting on to stand before him. He was taller than Iruka by only a few inches, and despite that and the obvious breech in personal space, Iruka didn't back down. He stared back into those curious eyes, watching as several tells flew through them - interest, curiosity, daring - before it settled on something Iruka didn't want to admit he saw.

 _Want, desire._

"Is that alright, Officer?" The man asked softly, his breath ghosting over Iruka's lips. "I suppose I should call you Detective, now."

"You should start with your name," Iruka said, his tone matching his partner's. He watched as delight lit the man's eyes and a grin graced his lips.

"All this time, you never looked at that card, did you?"

Iruka shifted his weight. "I'm sure you know now why I've been preoccupied."

The silver-haired man shrugged. "I can see the why; you admitted wanting to call me, but never even looked at the card. This would have been much less surprising if you had, Iruka."

Iruka couldn't quite suppress his shiver at the way that soft baritone said his name. Instead of answering, he reached into the left breast pocket of his uniform and pulled out the small white card that he had never forgotten about. Holding the man's gaze just a second longer, Iruka looked down and read the card:

 _Hatake Kakashi_

 _768.9008_

When Iruka flipped it over, he saw the small emblem in the lower left corner that signified that his partner was ANBU - a print of a dog mask. Suddenly it clicked - Iruka knew _exactly_ who this man was. He was Hound, elite of the elite. Iruka felt very, very small and confused. What could Hound _ever_ need him for?

Something must have shown on his face because his partner _(Kakashi)_ wrapped both of his wrists in his hands. "Don't look like that."

"Like what?" Iruka asked softly, his head still reeling.

"Like you're _useless,"_ Kakashi said curtly; Iruka looked up. "I've been watching you, Iruka. You have skills that I need, or I wouldn't be here." A pause. "Skills, among _other_ things."

Iruka furrowed his brow and opened his mouth to ask what, exactly, _that_ was suppose to mean, but was stopped by a pair of warm lips descending over his own.

The surprise and shock of it took Iruka's breath away in a gasp that was quickly swallowed by Kakashi. His partner moved his lips gently at first, coaxing a reaction out of Iruka. When the shock wore off, Iruka pressed back tentatively. Kakashi still held his wrists and used that leverage to pull him closer, effectively cutting off all space between them. Kakashi's body was just as warm as his hands, drawing a low moan from Iruka; his partner saw an opportunity to deepen the kiss and took it.

The need for oxygen forced Iruka to pull back for a moment, searching for Kakashi's eyes. Both of his pupils were blown wide and dark, with only a sliver of gray and red showing. Iruka felt himself falling, as if in a deep pit that there was no hope of escaping. He surged up and caught Kakashi's lips again, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck.

Kakashi's arms wormed around Iruka's waist and walked them back until Iruka's back hit the row of lockers against the wall. Kakashi pressed fully to Iruka again, this time drawing a moan from them both; Iruka could feel his heart hammering against his ribcage and was almost positive he could feel Kakashi's too. The kiss turned hungry and deepened even further, his new partner not at all ashamed to lick his way into Iruka's mouth.

Iruka could feel his knees growing weaker and weaker by the second, until only Kakashi's strong arms and body were all that kept him from sliding down the lockers into a heap of goo on the floor. His breath was ragged, his kiss becoming sloppy, but Kakashi didn't care. He held Iruka up with minimal effort and was happy to continue his exploration. Only when the slam of the locker room door echoed around them did they jump apart.

Kakashi's pale pink lips were nearly bright red to match his left eye, a flush dusting his cheeks and neck beautifully. He was the single sexiest man Iruka had ever seen, and looked even better throughly debauched. Iruka just smiled at him, proud to be the reason Kakashi looked that way, as he felt himself sliding down the lockers again. Kakashi pulled him to his feet before his ass hit concrete and together they left the locker room, Kakashi's arm wrapped around his shoulders in an act of camaraderie as they left a few confused officers in their wake.

As they walked, their heads close together, Iruka couldn't help his grin - he knew he looked like manic, his face bright red and his grin even brighter, but he didn't care. Sure, Kakashi was obviously peculiar and had poor taste in literature, but he could kiss better than anyone Iruka had ever kissed before.

It seemed that neither of them could stop from laughing, either, as if there had been lingering joke between them that no one else was privy to. Their faces were still close together, too, adding to their charade. What was worse is Iruka was pretty sure Anko knew what they were up to - when they passed her on the way out of the building, she caught Iruka's eye and smirked. Iruka just continued to laugh and ignored her, still buzzing from his kiss and enjoying the warmth Kakashi's arm over his shoulder provided. He felt lighter than he had in months.

Even years later, long after his initiation into ANBU and finally destroying Orochimaru's entire drug operation together, he was still happy to enjoy Kakashi's arm around his shoulders. He was everything Iruka could ever want in a partner, in every sense of the word.

Iruka just hoped that, if the weekend went well, Tsunade wouldn't complain too much about PDA when they both sported matching rings.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Allll this came to me as I myself was briefly reading an e-mail while driving. I know, I know - but I couldn't help but think how Iruka would act if he found Kakashi reading porn while driving. Then all this happened - I couldn't help myself. Tell me what you thought! :)_**


End file.
